A sign hung by members of the Tar Sands Blockade hangs above a site where TransCanada is working to finish their Keystone XL project in Wood County Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro, Texas. The group possesses an aggressive effort to stop work on the southern portion of TransCanadaâs Keystone XL pipeline. The following essay focuses on a community in East, Texas affected by the $2.3 billion Oklahoma-Texas leg of a line eventually planned to link Canada with the Gulf Coast. (Houston Chronicle) less

A sign hung by members of the Tar Sands Blockade hangs above a site where TransCanada is working to finish their Keystone XL project in Wood County Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro, Texas. The group ... more

A sign hung by members of the Tar Sands Blockade hangs above a site... Photo-3738800.52486 - Houston Chronicle

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Chickadee sits in a tree showing his opposition for TransCanada's Keystone XL project in Wood County Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro. He said he was from the east coast and would only identify himself with the name Chickadee out of fear of a lawsuit from TransCanada. He has been in the trees for more than a month. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle) (Houston Chronicle) less

Chickadee sits in a tree showing his opposition for TransCanada's Keystone XL project in Wood County Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro. He said he was from the east coast and would only identify himself ... more

Gabe Cordova looks at TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline that comes through his mother's property in Wood County, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro, Texas. Cordova moved his family onto the 60-acre property because he felt it would be a great place to raise his daughter. He is afraid that the pipeline could leak into the ground and poison a nearby pond he uses for fishing along with the ground surrounding the pipeline. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle) (Houston Chronicle) less

Gabe Cordova looks at TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline that comes through his mother's property in Wood County, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro, Texas. Cordova moved his family onto the 60-acre ... more

Gabe Cordova kisses his daughter, Ayden, 3, as his wife, Carla, right. watches in front their home on his mother's property in Wood County, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro, Texas. Cordova recently built the 2-bedroom house to get his family out of harm's way. He believes that the economy is bad and times are tough, and it could lead to a revolt. He is afraid that the pipeline could leak and poison his pond that he would potentially eat fish and get drinking water from. (Houston Chronicle) less

Gabe Cordova kisses his daughter, Ayden, 3, as his wife, Carla, right. watches in front their home on his mother's property in Wood County, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro, Texas. Cordova recently built ... more

Conrad Wolfman watches from his storefront as a truck that hauls equipment for TransCanada's Keystone XL project drives through downtown Winnsboro, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, in Wood County. While he has read material from those opposed to and supportive of the pipeline, many of his questions about how a spill would be cleaned up, or the type of oil that would move through Keystone XL, have not been answered by TransCanada or government officials, he said. âWe donât know any of that stuff, and I donât know if itâs because they donât know or they donât want us to know,â Wolfman said. (Houston Chronicle) less

Conrad Wolfman watches from his storefront as a truck that hauls equipment for TransCanada's Keystone XL project drives through downtown Winnsboro, Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, in Wood County. While he has read ... more

Conrad Wolfman watches from his storefront as a truck that hauls... Photo-3738805.52486 - Houston Chronicle

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Marshall Treadwell leans on a steak marking where TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline will come through Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, near Sacul. Treadwell, the owner of 800 acres in Rusk County is happy about the pipeline coming though his property and said he's been compensated for damages and use of his property. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle) (Houston Chronicle) less

Marshall Treadwell leans on a steak marking where TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline will come through Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012, near Sacul. Treadwell, the owner of 800 acres in Rusk County is happy about the ... more

A crewman heats a weld in a pipe before it's sandblasted and painted on a site for TransCanada's Keystone XL project in Wood County, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle) (Houston Chronicle) less

A crewman heats a weld in a pipe before it's sandblasted and painted on a site for TransCanada's Keystone XL project in Wood County, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle) ... more

A crewman heats a weld in a pipe before it's sandblasted and... Photo-3738808.52486 - Houston Chronicle

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Crewmen work a site where a pipe for TransCanada's Keystone XL project is lowered into the ground in Wood County, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle) (Houston Chronicle)

Crewmen work a site where a pipe for TransCanada's Keystone XL project is lowered into the ground in Wood County, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro. (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle) (Houston Chronicle)

Crewmen work a site where a pipe for TransCanada's Keystone XL... Photo-3738809.52486 - Houston Chronicle

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A crewmen directs a capped pipe as the end of the segment is lowered into the ground ending a leg of TransCanada's Keystone XL project in Wood County, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro, Texas. Although work has been interrupted several times by protesters in East Texas, the Canadian pipeline company has soldiered on. (Houston Chronicle) less

A crewmen directs a capped pipe as the end of the segment is lowered into the ground ending a leg of TransCanada's Keystone XL project in Wood County, Wednesday, Oct. 24, 2012, in Winnsboro, Texas. Although ... more

A crewmen directs a capped pipe as the end of the segment is... Photo-3738810.52486 - Houston Chronicle